


The Sweetest Curse

by amethystinesaint



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-01 11:00:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20814017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amethystinesaint/pseuds/amethystinesaint
Summary: After taking down Uldren and defeating Riven, Ava realizes that they were just the beginning of something horrible.





	The Sweetest Curse

When Ava came to the Prison of Elders, it was for Petra, not Cayde. When she received the message that Uldren was not only found, but on the loose, it became her first priority. Petra explained to her everything that had happened on the flight there, if a bit guilty. Ava had always respected Petra; she even went as far as to encourage her to take the Queenship. She understood why she didn't, though. It's easier to believe that Mara lives, than to accept the cruel fate that she was dead. Uldren appearing suddenly, in a prison break of all things, didn't give her any hope of the former. As she and Tamara cleared the prison of rioters, Ava thought her previous life as a Corsair must've been quite similar to this. 

It was almost nostalgic, in a way. 

Cayde's death came at a surprise, but Ava couldn't have cared less. There were too many questions now, and Uldren was the only one that could answer them, and he'd escaped. Tamara sat over Cayde's body, not sure what to do. Despite her long life, she'd never known him that well, but it was still a hard loss to take. The only thing she could do was vow to avenge him, in true Hunter fashion. 

They stalked the Shore together, both seeking Uldren for different, yet similar reasons. Ava was, at the very least, glad that they both agreed that he would not be permitted to live. He'd committed enough treachery already, to his own people and the City. Tamara wasn't sad from the loss of her Vanguard as many were. She'd learned to accept it long ago. But now, after having almost lost everything in the Red War, it had just made her angry. 

Every Scorn they left in the dust left more questions ringing through her head. What could have ever caused him to do this? This is what he spent all those years doing, trying to destroy their own people? She knew Mara would never suffer a traitor, and if she was gone, she'd give him the punishment he deserved. As she stood over him, the Voice of Riven banished, she put a bullet in him before he had the chance to speak. She didn't want to hear another word from him - she just wanted it to be over. Maybe now, the Awoken could rebuild themselves. 

"I'm sorry I never told you about the City." Petra spoke as they stood in silence. "Mara entrusted many secrets to me. But we have to find out what he was here for." she said, her hand gripping her Dynasty harder reflexively. Ava nodded, letting silence fill the room again. She should've known her work wouldn't be done that easily. 

"So this… This is where I was from. Before." Ava said in both wonder and confusion, looking out over the soothing mists and ivory towers. 

Petra nodded at her, still amazed at the beauty of it even now. "You were probably born here, in fact. Welcome home, sister." she said with a smile, and a weary sigh. 

"So, where do we start?" Ava asked, brandishing her hand cannon with a twirl. 

Petra's smile quickly turned to a frown, knowing the question was coming, but she still didn't want to answer. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Now that we're here, we should try the Oracle. Maybe we can find Mara." Ava laughed to herself at that. After all this, she still thought Mara could save them, though she hoped she was right. She couldn't deny, though, that Mara herself was speaking to them through the machine. She felt vindicated knowing that she'd been doing everything these past years for her, and it wasn't for nothing. 

Finally, she realized what all those dreams she'd been having meant. Her stomach dropped when Petra asked if she'd been having them too. Riven was the cause of all this. She needed to cleanse her ancestral home. She'd immediately felt drawn to this place, of all the places she'd been in her life, only a few felt like she had belonged. But here, she felt as if she had a duty to protect it. 

"This place is amazing!" Tamara gasped, running her fingers over a crystal formation jutting through a pillar of rock. "You never knew about this place?" she asked, looking over at Ava.

"No." She shook her head. "I definitely would've remembered this." Her eyes focused on Riven's tower in the distance, looming through the roiling mists, taunting her. 

"I'll almost feel bad about blowing up this place!" Tamara laughed, snorting. Ava still stared up into the City, eyes focused. "Oh come on, it was a joke. I won't actually blow anything up." She laughed, relaxing a bit. Tamara always helped her to try and not take everything so seriously. Still, she couldn't help but be on edge, being so close to that thing in the tower. As much as she dreaded having to slay Riven, she knew it was the only way to make this place safe. 

To both of their surprise, when the day had come, Exodus joined the raid as if nothing had happened. 

"Exodus! Where the hell have you been? I thought… I thought you died!" Tamara almost squealed, jumping into him with a hug. 

"Oh, I never told you I left, did I? I had heard some rumors of a Hive fortress on Neptune, so naturally, I checked it out." he said flatly.

"For a year?" 

He shrugged. "I got a bit carried away. It was a fascinating place, lots of Hive, but that's not here nor there. I take it some interesting things have happened while I was gone." he asked with excitement in his voice. 

"Yeah, no shit! The Tower was attacked. Lost the Light for a bit. I, ah, assume you know about Cayde already." 

He nodded, hand on his chin. "You know, that explains… A lot. Hm."

Tamara laughed. "Well, you'll have to tell us about it later. You ready to kill a dragon?" 

After Riven had been slain, Ava knew her work was only halfway done. Slowly, but surely, the curse took hold of the City. Only so many weeks could pass before it almost felt hopeless. 

"I… I'm sorry. All of this is my fault. I brought us here." Petra said solemnly, looking out across the blight infested City. Though she did agree to an extent, Ava knew that none of them were truly here by their own will.

"Riven brought us here, not you. The only way to stop this is to fight it. We'll end it, one way or another." she assured her, though she wasn't entirely sure if she believed it herself. 

Petra sighed, letting her hands fall to her side. "I just… Feel so guilty. This curse never would've happened if I-"

"And think, what would've happened if you hadn't? It's better to contain it, than let Riven have finished her plans." 

Petra smiled a tired, pained smile in response. 

"I just want this to end." 

She wanted nothing more than to be a loyal Wrath, but seeing their homeland like this was heartbreaking. How many times could she tell Amrita that it'll end, someday, before it was a lie?

"Me too, sister." Ava hugged her, sighing over her shoulder. 

"We truly are destined to fight forever."

She returned to her ship and set for the Tower. Pulling the Wish-Ender off of her back, she set it down and roamed her ship aimlessly. In her closet, she found her old Corsair uniform she was found in, all those years ago. It still smelled of ozone and smoke. At least she'd spent all these years still faithful to the Queen, she thought. It meant much more now that she knew she was alive. 

As much as she loved the Dreaming City, it was oppressive at times. She'd barely been able to mourn the loss of her Sunbreakers, and now the situation with the City weighed her down even further. She spent more and more time with Tamara at her apartment in the City, desperate for a distraction and for peace. Fighting was in her nature, but now, she wanted nothing more than to be done. She knew too well to stop when you can't win.

When Ava spent nearly a whole day silently repairing and cleaning her guns almost obsessively, Tamara knew something was getting to her. 

"Are you okay, Ava? You seem like something's up."

"I'm fine." Ava said with a sharper tone than she had intended. After a moment she closed her eyes and sighed, set the gun she had down, and ran a hand through her hair. It'd gotten much longer than she usually had it; she stopped bothering to cut it ever since this had all started. "I'm sorry, 'Mara. I've just been thinking. About the City."

"I understand, love." Tamara whispered, sitting next to her. "I can't imagine what it must be like for you as an Awoken." she said, laying her head on her shoulder. 

"It just feels hopeless." Ava said bitterly. "I won't stop fighting, but… I don't know if I'm doing it because it's my home, or if I'm part of the cycle, now."

Tamara shrugged slightly. "Does it really matter? Either way, you're doing what you can to stop it."

Ava stared at the same spot in the wall, arms crossed. "I suppose."

"I know, it's not the answer you want. But hey, at least we're both part of it." she laughed, kissing her on the cheek. Ava couldn't help but laugh and uncrossed her arms, setting one around her. 

"You're right." Ava sighed, shaking her head. "Maybe it's not so bad."


End file.
